~ Arsenal View From a Gooner

The Defeaning Silence

Been a few days since the last post. I can say that I’m actually following the quietness that surrounds the club in this transfer window but that would be lying. Truth is, I’ve moved on to a new job this week and it has taken me some time to adjust to it. Hopefully now things have settled down, I can get back into the groove of all things Arsenal.

Unless you’re getting inside sources which is not accessible to the public eye, then you will know that we’ve done bugger all, on the possible new signing(s). To be honest, I’m not holding my breath for a new signing at all. The logic behind any deal, if at all, that is planned for the final week of the month is lost on me. Surely whatever financial advantage that can be gained by doing business solely in that period is not offset by the chances of getting more points/win from now till then.

Even then it will be much harder to procure a player during that last few days of the transfer window. That is because it gives the selling club no time to replace. No coach/manager in their right mind, would want to lose an integral player that close to the end of the transfer window. Unless the selling club are supremely confident of sealing the transfer, that they’ve already made provisioned and got their replacement ahead of time. Which also doesn’t make any sense because any purchase that the selling club do will become the bargaining chip for the buying club. Either that, or the player we’re looking at is not an important part of the selling team. Of which the next question would be, why are we buying him then.

A point was made on twitter (sorry for not crediting you, I don’t remember who said it), that we are much close this season to the top 4 than last season. Which in turn, makes Arsene Wenger think that with what he achieved last season, there’s no reason to suggest that he needs reinforcement to hit the same target for this season. I’m sorry Mr. Wenger, I’ll have to disagree with you, if that’s what you really think. We cannot aim for the same target this season, we have to aim higher, we have to aim to do better. That’s what progression is, and it’s about bloody time to make the progression from European cup qualifiers to cup winners (yes, I’m counting the Premier League title out of reach).

It scares me even more if Wenger thinks that he is satisfied with the squad and sees no reason to add to it. We could never fault the manager for his belief but sometimes his belief has been a little misguided. The capability to hold Manchester City to a wonderful draw (a game we could have won) is only negated by the capability to draw against lower league teams. It is not that we don’t have the players capable of facing the best the league can offer, it’s just that for some reason or another, these players aren’t able to replicate those feats on a consistent basis.

We are staring the risk of losing the players that have already been crucial to us this season. The like of Mikel Arteta, Santi Cazorla, Jack Wilshere and Kieran Gibbs are all in danger of picking an injury that might keep them out for long periods. Of course, it is also a risk that applies to every other player in the squad and to other teams as well. However, this 4 have played continuously, a lot of games and are more susceptible to that risk. The reason for them to play so much is simply because the manager doesn’t trust anyone else in their stead. Which is the pull-your-hair-out kind of frustration. If the facts are staring at us so obviously, is it not so to the manager?

Having been burned so many times in recent times, it is incredible that Wenger still hasn’t given up hope on some other members of the squad. Maybe that’s the reason why there has been little movement in the transfer market. By that unrelenting hope, I’m of course referring to Abou Diaby. I love the lad to pieces and wants nothing more than to see him go at least one full year without an injury that takes him out for more than 3 weeks at one time and at least 3 months in between of those short absences. However, we are only hiding ourselves from the truth is these hopes continues unabated. We must cut the rope some day. Yet, even if we don’t, we have to plan for an option should he get injured again. Not worry about the problem only when it occurs.

To this day, I believe everything that Wenger does for Arsenal, is for the good of Arsenal. It’s hard for me to believe that his decisions are not based on a wider perspective of the matter at hand. I refuse to believe that for a man of his wisdom, he does not see the shortcomings within the squad. Whenever I come to that point, only one conclusion jumps out at me. He is not spending now because he’s readying himself to go and wants the next manager to get as much chance to change things around, as he can. If that’s true, even in departure, Arsene Wenger is still thinking about what’s best for Arsenal Football Club. If not, he’s lost it.